Game engine recreations and source ports

For list of demakes, see List of notable ports#Demakes.

For a list of game engines, see Game engines.

Ports may be more attractive than emulation in some cases, and this goes too for unofficial ports developed by the community. However, the port may be of poor quality, in which case you're better off just emulating the game using whichever definitive version (usually its target platform during development). This article will hopefully help the reader make an informed decision.

Game engine recreations and source ports can be better than emulation on a game-by-game basis, adding improvements to the original, better performance and ports to less powerful systems were emulation is impractical/slow. This is especially true when a developer only wants to get one game (or a number of games that use the same engine) working. In that case, re-implementing that game alone would save more time than implementing the platform it runs on. These kinds of projects are common when abandonware has large communities; when the original developer has disbanded and can no longer support or update it, an effort is then made to get it running natively on newer versions of-- and/or entirely different-- operating systems and platforms. Examples are OpenMW for Morrowind.

Some projects are implemented in ways that the original developer did not intend; for example, for a platform other than which publishers marketed it for. And they're not just limited to game engines either; Webamp is a JavaScript application that re-implements Winamp in the web browser. These projects are almost always open-source, which also allows new programmers to fix bugs that could have been difficult to track down during development (alternatively, the bugs may be emulated to allow old mods to continue to safely exploit them). When most of the effort is on programming, the project will usually require the original game's assets (such as files in the installation directory or ROMs) until those ever get remade. This lets the developers claim they aren't infringing the game's copyrights since the player must obtain the original to use it; if the game is still being sold, this could allow the publisher to even earn revenue from the project. This aspect is debatable however, as some source code recreations did result in cease-and-desist letters and even lawsuits from companies such as in the case of re3 and reVC for the 3D-era Grand Theft Auto games, with Take-Two Interactive alleging that the source ports were made to facilitate piracy and that "the work is not licensed in any way"; some have speculated that the suit among others was to keep fan-made mods from getting in the way of their much-maligned Definitive Edition remasters.

For the sake of brevity, most of these projects often refer to themselves under some variety of fan remakes. The External links section has lists for a number of known and available projects.

On Linux downloading and using game engines is easy with Luxtorpeda - a Steam Play compatibility tool (like Proton) that allows you to run games from Steam using various different game engines and re-implementations. Alternatively some package managers/app stores, such as flatpak and snap include source ports.

For macOS, Mac Source Ports provides many of the games below but built for Apple Silicon (or as a Universal Binary where possible), with the apps signed and notarised. For the majority of the games, you will have to provide your own game data. The data for most of the games can be purchased on GOG or Steam (The game data from Windows versions usually work ok).

For a work-in-progress list of source ports that work on macOS see the Source ports on macOS page.

If you're looking for a specific game title, use the 'Ctrl+F' shortcut to search within this page.

Types of Game Ports

Original game

While the game was originally developed, while preparing the game logic and general behavior, the developers wrote the game code (the so-called source code) in a high-level programming language (like C) that was then converted via an assembler to machine code (sequences of zeroes and ones, also called assembly), which varies depending on the target CPU architecture (x86 for PC Windows games, ARM for mobile phones or the Nintendo GBA / DS / 3DS, PowerPC for MacOs or the Nintendo Wii, MIPS for the N64 or the PS1, and so on...) and the result is the executable file of the game. If everything goes right, the published game will only have that executable.

Some details may vary in practice. Developers of older systems were desperate for ROM space and system performance, and the assemblers just weren't high quality, so they just wrote directly in assembly. In those cases, the official source codes that were eventually released or leaked just contain opcode names for the CPU instructions with label names and developer comments.

In other cases, especially visual novels but also many modern game engines (middleware game engines), the developer didn't use a programming language, but rather a scripting language, alongside a game engine developed by someone else. That scripting language was human-readable just like a source code, but was included with the published game. In that case, the executable was just there to parse that scripting and call the appropriate behavior.

Besides the game code, that is the programming that regulates the game behavior, there are the game assets, which are the graphics, videos, sound effects, game maps, game text and associated cutscene data, player stats... which are then called by the programming. The game assets will be rarely included in their full quality, but will be downgraded and modified to fit the game's technical limitations (hardware, storage size, etc) with any unneeded materials discarded.

The resulting code and assets will only work properly on a very specific CPU architecture, on a very specific game console with very specific hardware.

That code can be reused with different assets and game scripting (for events and the like) to create more games. The reusable part is called the game engine. Not all developers can afford to develop a full game engine from scratch, and many would rather focus on the assets. That's why some developers sold user licenses for their game engines to other developers, like with RenderWare, Unreal, and the like. Those are middleware game engines.

Games targeting multiple consoles usually incorporated in the development process a software development kit (SDK) acquired from Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft. When compiling the game, the SDK will include assemblers that target that console's unique CPU architecture and hardware features, conversion tools that prepare the game assets for compatibility with that console, software libraries that help integrate the game with the console-specific OS features and take full advantage of them... These are included as part of the middleware game engines nowadays, provided the game developer was subscribed to that console's official developer progam.

Official ports (Port)

These are supposed to be the developer's best effort to convince you to double-dip and buy the game once more on another platform. They go by various names: conversions, ports, remakes, remasters, HD versions, definitive editions, [$CONSOLE_NAME] editions... The selling point, besides the availability on a new platform, will be higher quality game assets, long-awaited bug-fixes to the game code, or even new content... The fan expectation will be that this content is sourced from the company's vaults (uncompressed videos, in-engine versions of prerendered cutscenes, scrapped gameplay content) and finished by the same development team with the same vision, creativity and quality control. After all, the developer has full access to the source code and game assets. (Supposedly.)

While that may have been the case for some stellar ports long ago, it's the exception today rather than the norm to find a port that offers more than the bare minimum: availability on another platform, unlocked framerate and resolution, and an upscale filter applied on videos and game textures with some minimal redrawing (and they don't even bother anymore with that much, with the recent ports with heavy AI use, so you can expect the SuperEagle/XBR emulator filter aesthetic). In fact, it may even be an inferior experience accounting for the inevitable content cuts (censorship, licensed content, platform changes, special gameplay controls they couldn't be bothered to re-implement...) and many developers lost the source code or the know-how to make use of it, after twenty years of layoffs too many.

That means that the gap between fan ports and official ports is smaller than what you may think. Those official ports are still considered valuable by the community if they target PC or a modern platform that's equally modding friendly.

Fan games and recreations (New Game)

Fans who don't have access to the developer's internal files, but just the finished game.

Some fans go the fangame route and recreate the game from scratch. In this case, the game code will be 100% original, and the game sprites will be recreations based on the finished game artwork, either relying on game screenshots, or extracting the game assets and converting the graphics (and other assets) to a format that can be exploited for a new game project. Either way, this isn't a port, but rather a full game development project. When these projects come to term, they will often release as a complete package with everything included and ready to play.

These projects won't be accurate to the gameplay feel of their original inspirations, and will include original graphics, which may be a good or bad thing depending on your tastes, the game, or the developer's restraint. They are not recommended for purists. Their availability will be limited if the game publisher takes them down because they reuse the name or some graphics from the original inspirations, and the developer may even continue the project as an original game IP, like what happened with the unlicensed Super Mario Bros. 3 MS-DOS port from 1990 that became Commander Keen.

• Donkey Kong Land Remake: PC recreation of Donkey Kong Land, originally on Game Boy
• New Super Mario Land: SNES recreation of Super Mario Land, originally on Game Boy
• Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit: PC recreation of Triple Trouble, originally on the Master System
• AM2R: PC recreation of Metroid 2, originally on Game Boy
• Recreations of Game & Watch games for PC

While it's true that many official ports started as similar recreations without access to the source code, this article will consider these out of scope of what constitutes an unofficial game port.

Official source code releases (Source Code Only)

Source codes for games used to be treated like trade secrets, or would be sold for huge amounts of money to recoup the R&D costs poured into development. It's rare to see the publishers themselves release the source code, unless it's a show of goodwill towards the community, or an abandonware game.

Source ports can be made using those official source code releases. The most famous example that is often used is id Software's release of Doom in 1997. It led to so many ports being released that the community began to joke about what devices haven't gotten it running yet (see the Doom Wiki for a list). Examples are GZDoom, vkQuake, Kex Engine. On the less glamorous side is Nintendo's 2020 Gigaleak which exposed huge amounts of source codes, which allowed the community to build unreleased games such as the cancelled Japanese version of Dr. Mario 64 or many Star Fox or Pokemon development builds with interesting features that eventually were reprised in fan romhacks.

This skips the step of figuring out how the game works. The biggest disadvantage with these source codes is that they were originally used with specific development environments and tools (like the inaccessible official SDKs, as opposed to fan alternatives), that are no longer readily available or compatible with modern operating systems. If it's an officially-sanctioned release, it might have limitations on its use in open source projects, and it might have content omitted from it because it requires more third-party authorizations for a full source release. If it's a leaked source, the original publisher will go on a warpath to purge it from the internet, and it can't be used in open-source projects openly as a result. On the community side, developers will be wary of compromising projects that strictly abide by clean-room reverse engineering doctrine. This means that their usefulness will be more limited in practice to documentation, and that fan disassembly projects will be still needed before anything useful can be freely released.

Disassemblies (Source Code Only)

For games that don't have an official source code released, fans will only have the released game files (the binary) to work with. However, it's still possible to figure out its source code through a reverse-engineering process known as disassembly. This takes the game executable, which is a binary file (a sequence of ones and zeroes), and tries to generate a disassembly, which is the human-readable "source code", sort of. It will have recognizable functions, variables, instructions, calls to known input/output hardware specific to that console (graphic calls, gamepad poll reads, updating the color memory, etc).

However, that "source code" will be of little use in that state. It's written in assembly rather than a high-level language (like C), which is hardly reader-friendly when it comes to complex programs. Unlike with source codes, there won't be any variable or function names; temporary labels that use their hexadecimal position in the binary or memory will be used instead, and the fan researching the game will have to come up with names for them as he figures their purpose after painstaking guesstimates and trials-by-fire. There won't be any developer comments either. It's also possible that the "source code" output is complete garbage if it was generated with false assumptions: the tool will try to disassemble parts of the executable that aren't actual code, or will work in the wrong memory mode causing garbage writes/reads, or work with the wrong assembly language...

Game executables typically have a entry point where the first assembly instruction is. Emulators will typically start from there, and some emulators offer debugger output that can be helpful for researchers working on disassemblies, since they will parse the game executable correctly and the emulator developers will have accounted for any weird hardware quirks. That falls under dynamic disassembly. Another approach relies on using Ghidra or IDA Pro with the ROM file directly, which falls under static disassembly and has the advantage of analyzing ALL of the game, not just the parts normally accessible in the average playthrough, and auto-generates an equivalent of the code in a higher-level language like C (or pseudo-code) that can be more helpful with figuring out the game logic.

Romhacks used to rely on partial disassembly, but complete disassemblies that cover the entire game were soon released. These include not just the full game code, but also the assets, alongside various scripts to extract and convert the asset data (often sourced from the ROM to appease the copyright holders). What makes a disassembly "complete" is a matter of debate, but not all disassemblies were created equal. The bare minimum is whether running an assembler makefile on that project will convert everything into a ROM that's a byte-perfect replica of the original ROM (100% matching). But the golden standard will be whether the purpose behind every function or variable was properly documented and tested. Mod support, after all, relies heavily on the ability to move code around or extend it, which is hardly practical with a disassembly full of "non-matching" blobs of data that are directly copied in binary form from the original file with giant stickers that say "do not touch, do not move".

A successful disassembly project will be a modern fan-made source code of the game, targeting the original platform, and creating a perfect replica of the game. It will be written in assembly, rather than high-level programming languages.

To use a disassembly project, you will usually need the original ROM, and the assembler tools and make files recommended by the project... to make a copy of that same original ROM. Unless you're a developer who wants to use this disassembly project to make a more interesting project, like a romhack, a mod, or a port, this is useless for you.

While one might think the use of assembly language (as opposed to better programming languages) is way too primitive and unpractical, the truth is that many games from pre-fifth generation consoles were originally written directly in assembly. Since the purpose of disassembly projects is to recreate the source port, as authentically as possible, this is ideal.

Decompilations

On its own, the term means to revert the game from a binary file to its state before the source code was compiled. But in practice, the term means different things depending on its context.

Middleware game engines (Source Code, Port)

Let's start with situations where the game engine uses a scripting language rather than "proper" programming. The game engine developers will provide the game developers with various ways to obfuscate their "source code" (their beloved trade secrets), but it won't change the fact that the game shipped with its source code, and that the game engine merely interprets it. This means it's still possible to get the source code easily, with its function and variable names and everything (maybe not always the developer comments), by merely decompiling the game assets.

For these reasons, it's often trivial to get the full programming for games developed in Unity, GameMaker, Godot, Ren'Py... and freely mod the game. With some additional effort, mainly to convert any console-specific assets like textures and sound effects, it's even possible to make unofficial ports of these games to other platforms. This is typically abused for Vita, PC and Android ports. These ports will be based on an existing game (or engine fan port) already ported for that platform, that will be the host of the new scripting and game assets. In especially badly protected games, it's possible to generate the entire project file, in which case you can download the game engine SDK and open that file using it as if you're the original developer. That's how you get plagiarist developers going as far as sell an unauthorized copy of the game on their own and passing the approval processes.

Not all games developed on these engines can be cracked wide open this way. The developer can only use parts of the game engine's features and discard the rest.

Original games (Source Code Only)

For more traditional game engines, if the game isn't too old (and thus its source code written in assembly), the developer will usually work with traditional high-level languages (C, C++). The C source code will be compiled using a specific compiler version with specific parameters (optimization flags, etc), and the result will the assembly code and a binary file representing the game executable, like with the examples from before. The main difference is that assembly code was machine-generated rather than handcrafted. While this may mean it's more unoptimized, this isn't as important for developers as the more advanced hardware gains made up for that... until they didn't anymore.

A decompilation project is similar to a disassembly project, with the main difference it now takes the original game executable and generates a source code in C (before the compiler) rather than assembly. And just like it, it's useless for the average mortal (you give it a game file, you get the same game file back). Not all decompilation projects are created equal, or even usable for other projects without significant further work.

Decompilation projects are more easily said than done, because quality-wise the auto-generated C code prepared by the likes of Ghidra and IDA Pro is absolute rubbish. Since the objective is to replicate the original source code, researchers can go mad as they wonder why a C function doesn't exactly compile to a 1:1 byte match of the original binary file equivalent. It turns out that the original binary was generated using a primitive compiler from 1997 and some obscure SDK revision for that console, which they will need to track down. Half-assing this is possible, but will lead to further problems down the line, because misaligned code can behave differently and can introduce bugs or slowdown just because of console quirks alone.

Game engine reimplementations (New Game)

When multiple games rely on the same game engine, it might be worthwhile to recreate the game engine on the new target platform, and then have it load the game assets from the original game files.

How the developers go about this process depends on their philosophy.

They may think it's enough to develop the new game engine as a fan game that's compatible with the original files. The abstract features of the projects are implemented going by how components are expected to be used rather than how the game actually uses them. This forgoes game assembly, and in the case some official source code was released, avoids any discussions about clean-room design, albeit obsessing over propriety or property in fan projects is an exercise in futility and wasted goodwill. This isn't always bad, however, as it might be more desirable to redevelop a more optimized version of the engine than a more authentic one.

They may also opt to go all the way and disassemble or decompile the original executable. Some projects may still include the original game executable as a dependency the new game engine will still rely on, if not all of its functions have an equivalent high-level implementation in the new game engine.

So called collections include different engine types, an example being ScummVM that contains many recreations and source ports.

Source port (Port)

A port based on an official source code release.

Typically, it will be a hassle-free game executable and its assets, or as a romhack that modifies the original game executable to the new game executable. That's because anyone using official source codes operates with a different philosophy than fan reverse engineering projects.

Decomp port (Port)

A port based on an unofficial fan-made source code release, whether it's a decompilation project, or disassembly project.

Typically, the project maintainers will base it off an existing project with heavy modifications to fix its shortcomings (won't boot at all, very glitchy), add basic quality of life features (controls, video options, unlocked framerate, user interface), and ideally even more features like bugfixes of notable bugs and issues present in the original game, randomizers, actual mod support, and so on. This is made possible thanks to the project maintainers putting in the work to research the game and try to get as close to the original source code as possible.

They will require the player provide a game ROM/ISO so that the project owners won't be held accountable for piracy or including assets. An installer will then generate the game executable and assets. It will be a pain to get the exact game version required by the installer, but the full game will be typically reuploaded elsewhere without that requirement if you feel adventurous.

Recomp port (Port)

A different hybrid approach to make ports fast, based on a disassembly project, and on existing emulation research.

This approach is sold as an alternative to emulation for underpowered target systems, that would run the game at full speed. Instead of a full emulator, a native program is generated instead. The game's code is converted to assembly code for the target platform's CPU architecture, while all hardware calls to the original hardware (graphics, sound, etc) is redirected to the equivalent APIs in the target hardware just like with emulators... or rather that part is taken exactly from existing emulators. The goal isn't some deep dive in the game secrets or advanced mod support: they just want a port that works, and one that works better than an existing emulator.

This isn't unheard of in official ports: Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch) relied on this for Super Mario Galaxy. Many older PC ports of PS1 games emulated the PS1 graphics and sound engine while the game code was reimplemented as native PC code.

To make these recomp projects, a so-called recompiler tool is used to generate the new source code of the native game executable. When games have ongoing concurrent decomp and recomp projects, the recomp project will be less time consuming, and can make use of the decomp project's progress. However, the port won't be perfect without even more modifications. Recomp ports that halfass this aspect will typically exhibit graphical bugs similar to very early emulators for that console, and will have crashes and softlocks for untested functions. So even though it takes way less time to get a working executable, the work to make it as playable as the original (or even better) will be as hard as a decomp port.

On A.I.-assisted projects

A.I. usage is very controversial, but not all of its advocates or critics approach it for the same reasons that interest the average emugen wiki user.

It has certainly its legitimate uses for unofficial port projects. A main obstacle is telling apart valid code and simulate its execution without having to emulate it. Some code can be quickly labeled with inferences based on a known hardware call. In that sense, it can make "quick work" of a recomp port and achieve 100% recomp progress faster. The texture upscale algorithms for HD texture packs are also another form of A.I. as well. We can say it achieved it benefited that project in that situation. Opposition to A.I. usage in that case would not be from a place of concern for the player, but over ethical concerns: corporate A.I. politics and their impact on humanity, plagiarism, and more specifically whether the resulting project is still legal or clean-room or respecting its license. The player may or may not care about these concerns, but they're not the main topic of this article.

The other face of A.I.-assisted projects are the so-called AI slop ports, pumped en masse as engagement farming, and aggressively promoted with various ulterior motives. Which brings us to the question: "Why would I use a decomp / recomp instead of emulation?" or "Why would I play this game using this port instead of that version?"

AI-slop ports often fundamentally fail this simple test. But it's not necessarily an issue with the game, the target platform, the decomp/recomp approaches, emulation, or even automation of repetitive programming tasks (the so-called A.I.). It's more often than not an issue with that specific port, and that specific author, and a certain snake oil seller mentality that doesn't put the player's best interests in mind, or care whether this new project is better or useful.

Ports of 16-bit games targeting the 3DS that struggle to hit full framerate, while an option to experience these same games in full speed with no bugs exist on that same hardware, officially provided no less. A recomp alpha of a N64 game released as a "full release" with graphical bugs unseen in N64 emulation since UltraHLE in 1999, even Nintendo's own crappy official emulators, while a fullspeed widescreen 60 FPS way to play that game exist on the same platform. Decomp ports that no longer clean up glitches in the decomp source or its chaotic code but will still advertise "mod support". And so on, and so forth. A lot of noise, misinformation and bad advice that tries to attack the credibility of emulation or game mods or fan ports just to humor the whims of a few loud voices.

It can be useful to ask, then: "Did I try emulation before for this platform? Is what I actually want an emulator with launcher support and widescreen / 60 FPS patches?" and "Which features does this recomp / decomp port build currently offer, that aren't offered by existing emulators?" and, if the AI use is a red flag for you, "Did the author of the project show any original programming skill before, or is it just 100% vibe-coding?" These questions will be enough to answer whether a specific project is worth your time and the missed advantages from emulation (save state support, convenient cheat codes, etc)

Multi-game engine

Action-adventure

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
OpenLara		git SailfishOS	✓	~	~	PC: Tomb Raider 1–4 Handhelds: Tomb Raider 1
OpenTomb		git	✗	✗	✓	Tomb Raider 1–5
Tomb Raider Automated Fix		TR1 TR2	✗	✗	~	Tomb Raider 1 & 2 + expansions
Tomb Raider 1 & 2 Classic Collection		git VitaDB	✗	~	✓	Tomb Raider 1 & 2 Classic (Android versions)
TRX		git	✗	✓	✓	Tomb Raider 1 & 2 + expansions
CroftEngine		git	✗	~	?	Tomb Raider 1
TR2Main		git	✗	✗	?	Tomb Raider 2

Bullet Hell

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
ReC98: The Touhou PC-98 Restoration Project	Multi-platform	git	✗	✗	✗	Touhou 1–5 (PC-98)

FPS

See also Game engine recreations and source ports/FPS for more in-depth description sorted by engine

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
BuildGDX		Website	✗	✓	✓	Blood, Duke Nukem 3D, Powerslave/Exhumed, Redneck Rampage, Redneck Rampage Rides Again, Rock 'n' Shaolin/Legend of the Seven Paladins 3D, Shadow Warrior, TekWar, Witchaven, Witchaven II
EDuke32 VoidSW		Website	✗	✓	✓	EDuke32: Duke Nukem 3D, Ion Fury, NAM, World War II GI VoidSW: Shadow Warrior
Metaforce		Dev builds git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Retro Games (Metroid Prime 1–3 & Donkey Kong Country Returns)
Nuclide		Website git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	GoldSrc Games (Half-Life, Counter-Strike 1.5, Team Fortress etc..)
openDarkEngine		git	✗	✗	✗	Thief 1-2, System Shock 2
Raze		git	✗	✓	✓	Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Redneck Rampage, Shadow Warrior and Exhumed/Powerslave, Nam, WW2 GI
RedNukem		git	✗	✓	✓	Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem 64, Redneck Rampage, Redneck Rampage Rides Again, NAM, World War II GI
Serious Sam Classic VK		git	✗	✓	✓	Serious Sam: The First Encounter, Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
Surreal Engine		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Unreal Gold, Unreal Tournament 99
Xash3D FWGS		0.99 git	✗	✓	✓	Half-Life 1 engine games
Xash3DS		git	✗	✗	✓	Half-Life 1 engine games
XLEngine		git	✗	✗	✗	Star Wars: Dark Forces, Daggerfall Later: Outlaws, Blood, Shadow Warrior

Horror

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Free In The Dark		git	✗	~	✗	Alone in the Dark 1-3
OpenAWE		git	✗	✓	✗	Alan Wake, Alan Wake's American Nightmare

Platform

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Commander Genius		3.6.1	✗	✓	✓	Commander Keen 1-6, Cosmos Cosmic Adventure 1-3, Keen Dreams
MBHaxe		git	✗	✓	✓	Marble Blast Gold, Platinum & Ultra
OpenGOAL		0.2.31	✗	✓	✓	Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, Jak 3, Jak X
Retro Engine		RSDKv3 (Sonic CD) RSDKv4 (Sonic 1 & 2) RSDKv5 (Sonic Mania) Sonic Origins fork	✗	✓	✓	Sonic CD (2011, v3), Sonic the Hedgehog 1–2 (2014, v4), and Sonic Mania (2017, v5).

Point & Click Adventure

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
ScummVM		2026.3.0	✓	✓	✓	Adventure games and RPGs (LucasArts, Sierra, Activision, Humongous & more. Over 250 games.)

Racing

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
OpenDriver		git	✗	~	✗	Driver 1-2
OpenNFS		git	✗	✓	✗	Need for Speed I–III, Need for Speed: High Stakes, Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
ProjectR		Website	✗	✓	✓	San Francisco Rush: The Rock, San Francisco Rush 2049

RPG

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
BaKGL		git	✗	✓	~	Betrayal at Krondor
EasyRPG		0.8.1.1	✓	✓	✓	RPG Maker 2000/2003 games
Exult		git	✗	✓	✓	Ultima VII: The Black Gate, Ultima VII Part Two: The Serpent Isle, Ultima VI: Remake
Falltergeist		git	✗	✗	✗ (WIP)	Fallout 1-2
GemRB		git	✗	✓	✓	Infinity Engine (Baldur's Gate series (1998–2001), Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale series (2000–2002))
gen1recomp		git	✗	✓	✓	Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow
JoiPlay		1.20.023 RPG Maker Plugin Ren'Py Plugin Ruffle Plugin	✗	✓	✓	RPG Maker XP/VX/VA/MV/MV games/Ren'Py/TyranoBuilder/HTML based games
MKXP		2023 Builds	✗	✗	✗	RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace games
MKXP-Z		2.4.2	✗	✓	✓	RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace games
Neko RPGXP Player		2.01	✗	✗	~	RPG Maker XP/VX/VA/MV games
UnderworldGodot		git	✗	✓	✗	Ultima Underworld 1-2
xoreos		0.0.6	✗	~	✗ (WIP)	BioWare's Aurora engine & derivatives (BioWare's 7 PC/console RPGs, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, The Witcher)

RTS

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
openage		git	✗	✓	~	Genie Engine (Age of Empires, AoE II (HD), Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds)
OpenRA		git	✗	✓	✓	Early Westwood games (Command & Conquer Tiberian Dawn, C&C: Red Alert, Dune 2000). Soon: 2nd-gen C&C (C&C: Tiberian Sun).
OpenSAGE		git	✗	~	✗ (WIP)	EA's Command & Conquer games (C&C: Generals, C&C: Generals - Zero Hour) Soon: The Battle for Middle-earth series (2004–2006), C&C 3 + expansion.
Stratagus		3.3.2	✗	✓	✓	Wargus (v3.3.2): Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness + Beyond the Dark Portal, Aleona's Tale War1gus (v3.3.2): Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Stargus (v3.3.0): StarCraft (partially playable as of v2.4.1) Games natively made on the Stratagus engine: Aleona's Tale (Wargus), Astroseries, Bos Wars, Wyrmsun
Vanilla Conquer		git	✗	✓	✓	Early Westwood games (Command & Conquer, C&C: Red Alert, Dune 2000). Based on the official source code release by EA, with the goal of serving as a portable drop-in replacement for the original executables as well as a platform for mod developers.

Visual Novel

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Impacto		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	MAGES. Engine (Science Adventure games)
Xsystem35		2.17.1	✗	✓	✓	Alicesoft. System35 Engine (RPG and strategy games)

Various

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
DREAMM*		4.0.0	✗	✓	✓	LucasArts: Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Indiana Jones (Last Crusade & Fate of Atlantis & Infernal Machine & Desktop Adventures), Loom, Monkey Island (1 & 2 & Curse & Escape), Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max, Full Throttle, The Dig, Grim Fandango, Rebel Assault (1 & 2), X-Wing, Tie-Fighter, Dark Forces, Dark Forces 2 Jedi Knight, Mysteries of the Sith, Shadows of the Empire, Yoda Stories, Mortimer and the Riddles of the Medallion, Outlaws (+13 more in the 3.0 beta)
Jorio's ports of Pangea Software games		depending on game	✗	✓	✓	Billy Frontier, Bugdom, Bugdom 2, Cro-Mag Rally, Mighty Mike (Power Pete), Nanosaur, Nanosaur II: Hatchling, Otto Matic
OpenGMK		git	✗	✓	✓	GameMaker game engines
M-HT SR / SRW		depending on game	✗	✓	✓	Albion (1995), X-Com: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown), X-Com: Terror from the Deep, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Battle Isle 3: Shadow of the Emperor (Battle Isle 2220: Shadow of the Emperor)
MegaZeux		2.93d	✗	✓	✓	MegaZeux games

Single game engine

Action-adventure

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
2 Ship 2 Harkinian		git	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
Bomberman 64: Recompiled		git	✗	✓	✓	Bomberman 64
Courage Reborn		TBA	✗	✓	TBD	The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Dinosaur Planet: Recompiled		0.2.0	✗	✓	✓	Dinosaur Planet
Donkey Kong 64: Recompiled		1.0.1	✗	✓	✓	Donkey Kong 64
donut		git	✗	✗	✗	The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Dusklight		1.4.1 git	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GameCube)
The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening DX HD - PC Port		1.5.8	✗	✓	TBD	The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Link's Awakening DX HD		git	✗	[ Game engine recreations and source ports ~]	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
MegaMan64 Recompiled		git	✗	✓	✓	Mega Man 64
Mystical Ninja Recompilation		git	✗	✓	✓	Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Open Ocarina		git	✗	✗	✗	The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
OpenDrakan		git	✗	~	✗	Drakan: Order of the Flame
Redguard Unity		git	✗	✓	✗	The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard
Ship of Harkinian		9.0.2 Nightly builds git	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time + Master Quest
sm		git	✗	✓	~	Super Metroid
Starfox64Recomp		1.0.2	✗	✓	✓	Star Fox 64
Starship		2.0.0	✗	✓	✓	Star Fox 64
tmc (pc port)		git	✗	✓	~	The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Zelda3		git Android Xbox One Vita	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Zelda 64: Recompiled		1.2.2	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)

FPS

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Aleph One		1.11	✗	✓	✓	Marathon (1994), Marathon 2: Durandal, Marathon Infinity, Pathways Into Darkness
BStone		1.3.3	✗	✓	✓	Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, Blake Stone: Planet Strike
BetterSpades		git	✗	✓	✓	Ace of Spades
D2X-XL DXX-Rebirth		1.18.77 git	✗	✓	✓	Descent, Descent II
Descent Wii		1.12 git (forked)	✗	✗	✓	Descent
DXX-3DS		git	✗	✗	✗	Descent, Descent II
DXX-Retro		git	✗	✗	✓	Descent, Descent II
DXX-Switch		git	✗	✗	?	Descent, Descent II
Duke Nukem Zero Hour: Recompiled		Alpha 0.0.3	✗	✓	?	Duke Nukem Zero Hour
EDuke32 Wii		Website	✗	✗	✓	Duke Nukem 3D
Librelancer		git	✗	✓	?	Freelancer
Freespace 2 Wii		beta 3	✗	✗	?	Freespace 2
Freespace 2 Source Code Project		Knossos installer and mod manager	✗	✓	✓	Freespace 2, also includes Freespace 1 and expansion Silent Threat through fanmade ports to the FS2 engine.
LithTech Jupiter System		git	✗	✓	?	No One Lives Forever 2
NakedAVP		1.2.2	✗	✓	✓	Aliens Vs Predator Gold
NBlood		git	✗	✓	✓	Blood + expansion
OpenJK		Build git	✗	✓	~	Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
OpenJKDF2		git	✗	✓	~ (WIP)	Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
OpenMoHAA		git	✗	✓	✓	Medal of Honour: Allied Assault + expansions
OpenXRay		git	✗	✓	✓	S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series
PCExhumed		git	✗	✓	✓	Powerslave (PC)
Powerslave EX		git	✗	✗	✓	Powerslave (console)
Perfect Dark		git	✗	✓	✓	Perfect Dark
Shockolate		git	✗	✓	✓	System Shock 1
The Force Engine		1.22.42	✗	✓	✓	Current: Star Wars: Dark Forces Future: Outlaws
Surreal 98 (DXU24)		Modders channel	✗	✓	~ (WIP)	Deus Ex
xGreed		1.1.12.55	✗	✗	✓	In Pursuit of Greed
Portal: Still Alive		ModDB	✗	✗	✓	Portal: Still Alive
id Tech Engines
dhewm3		git dhewm3-amigaos4	✓	✓	✓	Doom 3 (Original)
Doom64 EX		2.5	✗	✗	✓	Doom 64 (Original)
Doom64 EX Plus		5.2 Ultra fork	✗	✗	✓	Doom 64 (Original)
ECWolf		1.4.2	✓	✓	✓	Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny, Super 3D Noah’s Ark
Hammer of Thyrion		1.5.9	✗	✓	✓	Hexen II
Heretic Wii		0.5	✗	✗	?	Heretic
Hexen Wii HHexen (Wii)		1.0 0.5	✗	✗	?	Hexen
HHeretic		0.2.4	✗	✗	?	Heretic
HHexen		1.6.4	✗	✗	?	Hexen
ioquake3		1.36	✗	✓	✓	Quake III: Arena
iortcw		git Salted fork	✗	~	✓	Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Linux Hexen		0.6.0	✗	✗	✗	Hexen
PrBoom		git	✓	~	✓	Doom I–II, Final Doom
PsyDoom		git	✓	~	✓	Doom, Final Doom
q2repro		git	✗	~	✓	Quake 2 Remastered
Quake GameCube/QuakeGX		0.0.5-2 (GX)	✗	✗	?	Quake 1
Quake Rev PAK		release 4	✗	✗	?	Quake 1–2, ThreeWave CTF mod for Quake 2, QuakeWorld
Quakespasm vkQuake		0.96.3 Ironwail fork	✗	✓	✓	Quake 1 (The Ironwail fork supports the Remastered version)
RBDOOM-3-BFG		git	✗	✓	✓	Doom 3 (BFG Edition)
realrtcw		ModDB page	✗	✓	✓	Return to Castle Wolfenstein (based on iortcw)
Rise of the Triad for Linux		1.1.2	✗	✗	✗	Rise of the Triad: Dark War
rottexpr		git Barrett fork	✗	✗	✓	Rise of the Triad: Dark War
Tyrquake		git	✓	✓	✓	Quake 1
vitaQuake II		git PS Vita	✓	~	✓	Quake 2
WiiDoom WiiDoom-Fork (music support)		0.4.5 Fork	✗	✗	✓	Doom I–II, Final Doom, Chex Quest I–II (forked version only but with some conversion issues)
Wii-DOOM Wii-HERETIC Wii-HEXEN Wii-STRIFE		r33	✗	✗	✓	Wii-DOOM: Doom I–II, Final Doom Wii-HERETIC: Heretic Wii-HEXEN: Hexen Wii-STRIFE: Strife: Quest for the Sigil
Wolfenstein 3D Wii		1.31	✗	✗	✓	Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny
Yamagi Quake II		8.51	✗	✓	✓	Quake 2

Horror

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Amnesia: The Dark Descent Redux		git	✗	~	~	Amnesia: The Dark Descent
FNaF 1 3DS -old/obsolete- FNaF 1 3DS -remastered-		0.2.3 0.3.1-pre1	✗	✗	✓	Five Nights at Freddy's
FNaF 1 PSP		1.3.1 Fix 1	✗	✗	✓	Five Nights at Freddy's
FNaF 2 3DS		beta 1.0	✗	✗	✗	Five Nights at Freddy's 2
FNaF 3 3DS		beta 0.1.3	✗	✗	✗	Five Nights at Freddy's 3
FNaF 4 3DS		beta 0.3	✗	✗	~	Five Nights at Freddy's 4
MikuPan		git	✗	✓	~	Fatal Frame
OpenBiohazard2		git	✗	~	✗	Resident Evil 2
sh3redux		git	✗	✗	✗	Silent Hill 3
sh1pc		git	✗	✓	~	Silent Hill

MMO

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
2009scape		website	✗	✓	✓	Runescape
AzerothCore		website	✗	✓	?	World of Warcraft
ClassicUO		website git	✗	✓	?	Ultima Online
CrossUO		git	✗	✓	?	Ultima Online
Darkflame Universe		git	✗	✓	?	LEGO Universe
TrinityCore		git	✗	✓	?	World of Warcraft
WoWee		git	✗	✓	?	Word of Warcraft

Platform

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Abe's Amazing Adventure Wii		r3	✗	✗	?	Abe's Amazing Adventure
Abuse 2025		git	✗	~	✓	Abuse
Abuse Wii		0.8.684.2	✗	✗	?	Abuse
Banjo: Recompiled		1.0.1	?	✓	✓	Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
BMHeroRecomp		git	?	✓	✓	Bomberman Hero
Cave Story Engine 2		git archive Wii, NDS, PS2	✗	✗	✓	Cave Story
doukutsu-rs		git	✗	✓	✓	Cave Story
C1		git	✗	✗	~	Crash Bandicoot
C2C		git	✗	✗	~	Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Ghostship		git	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario 64
hodex		binaries source code SDL fork	✗	✗	~	Heart of Darkness
Jazz² Resurrection		git	✗	✓	✓	Jazz Jackrabbit 2
Jump 'n Bump		0.3.1	✗	✗	?	Jump 'n Bump
katam		git	✗	✓	?	Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
OpenMBU		git	✗	~	~	Marble Blast Ultra
Maze of Galious 3DS		1.0	✗	✗	?	The Maze of Galious remake
MazeOfGaliousWii		0.63.3	✗	✗	?	The Maze of Galious remake
NXEngine nxengine-evo		1.0.0.6 git	✓	✓	✓	Cave Story
OpenCrashWOC		git	✗	✓	?	Crash Bandicoot: Wrath Of Cortex
OpenHCL		git	✗	~	✓	Hydra Castle Labyrinth
OpenJazz		git	✗	~	✓	Jazz Jackrabbit 1
OpenMadoola		git	✗	✓	✓	The Wing of Madoola
R.E.L.I.V.E.		git	✗	✓	✓	Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus
rawgl		git	✗	✗	✓	Another World/Out of This World
ReDuke		Beta 4	✗	✗	✓	Duke Nukem (Duke Nukum)
REminiscence		0.5.5	✓	✓	✓	Flashback (Another World's spiritual sequel)
Rigel Engine		git	✗	✓	✓	Duke Nukem II
sa2		git	✗	✓	?	Sonic Advance 2
SDLPoP		git	✗	✓	✓	Prince of Persia (1989)
Sonic the Hedgehog Forever		1.5.1	✗	~	✓	Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Absolute		1.2.1	✗	~	✓	Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic-2-CE		1.10	✗	~	✓	Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic 3 A.I.R. (Angel Island Revisited)		git	✗	✓	✓	Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
Sonic Mania 3DS		Build	✗	✓	~	Sonic Mania 3DS
srb32x		v0.2a	✗	✓	~	Sonic Robo Blast 2
smw		git Switch	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario World, Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario 64 Port	Multi-platform	Depends on port	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario Bros. Remastered		1.0.2	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario World Remastered Plus		1.1	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario World
Unleashed Recompiled		git	✗	✓	✓	Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360)
xrick		#021212	✓	✗	✓	Rick Dangerous
TheXTech		1.3.7.2-hotfix1	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario Bros. X

Racing

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
CannonBall		git	✓	✗	✓	OutRun
CannonBall (Wii)		git	✗	✗	✓	OutRun
CTRPC		WIP	✗	✓	~	Crash Team Racing
Dethrace		git	✗	✓	~	Carmageddon
DRally		git	✗	✓	?	Death Rally
ExtremeGRecomp		1.0.0	✗	✓	?	Extreme-G
MarioKart64Recomp		git	✗	✓	✓	Mario Kart 64
NFSIISE		git	✗	~	✓	Need for Speed II: SE
Open Test Drive Unlimited / OpenTDU		git	✗	✓	TBD	Test Drive Unlimited
Open1560		git	✗	✓	✓	Midtown Madness 1
OpenC1		1.4 git	✗	✗	✓	Carmageddon
OpenLGR		git	✗	✗	✗	Lego Racers
OpenMC2	(via Wine)	git	✗	~	✓	Midnight Club II
OpenSWE1R		git	✗	~	✗ (WIP)	Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
REDriver2		git	✗	✓	✓	Driver 2
RoadFighterWii		1.0	✗	✗	✓	Road Fighter remake
RVGL		23.1030a1	✗	✓	✓	Re-Volt
SpaghettiKart		git	✗	✓	✓	Mario Kart 64
snowboardkids2-recomp		git	✗	✓	✓	Snowboard Kids 2
stuntcarremake		Build 08	✗	✓	✓	Stunt Car Racer (Amiga / AtariST)
Wipeout Phantom Edition		git	✗	~	✓	Wipeout
Wipeout Rewrite		git	✗	✓	✓	Wipeout

Real-time

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)	Genre
OpenVic		git	✗	✓	✗	Victoria 2	Grand Strategy
Project Alice		1.3.0	✗	✓	✓	Victoria 2
CorrinoEngine		git	✗	✗	✗	Emperor: Battle for Dune	Real-time strategy
Dune Dynasty		1.5	✗	✗	✓	Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
Dune II: The Maker		0.7.0 Nightly	✗	✓	✓	Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
Dune Legacy		0.99.5	✗	✓	✓	Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
KaM Remake		Build git	✗	✓	✓	Knights and Merchants
KeeperFX		1.3.1	✗	✓	✓	Dungeon Keeper
OpenDUNE		git	✗	~	✓	Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
OpenKeeper		git	✗	✓	✗	Dungeon Keeper 2
TA3D		git	✗	✗	✗	Total Annihilation
WarsmashModEngine		git	✗	✓	~	Warcraft III
wkbre2		git	✗	✓	✗	Warrior Kings: Battles
FreeSynd		0.9	✗	✗	✗	Syndicate (1993)	Real-time tactics
Syndicate Wars Port		0.3.3 Fan Expansion fork	✗	~	✓	Syndicate Wars
OpenApoc		git	✗	✓	~	X-COM: Apocalypse	Selectable real-time or turn-based tactics

RPG

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Ambermoon.net		git	✗	✓	✓	Ambermoon
Amulets & Armor		1.04	✗	✗	✓	Amulets & Armor
Arcanum CE		git	✗	✓	✗	Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arkanum		git	✗	✗	✗	Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arx Libertatis		git	✗	✓	✓	Arx Fatalis
Daggerfall Unity		v1.1.1 v1.1.1.9 (Android)	✗	✓	✓	The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
DevilutionX		git	✗	✓	✓	Diablo
Fallout CE		git 3DS git Vita git	✗	✓	✓	Fallout 1
Fallout 2 CE		git 3DS git Vita git	✗	✓	✓	Fallout 2
Freeablo		git	✗	✗	~	Diablo
Infinity Blade 1 & 2 for Windows		IF1 Archive.org page IF2 Archive.org page	✗	✗	✓	Infinity Blade
Memoria		git	✗	✓	✓	Final Fantasy IX
Noah		git	✗	✓	✗(WIP)	Xenogears
NorseWorld: Ragnarok		git	✗	✗	✗	Ragnarok / Valhalla
OpenEnroth		git	✗	✓	✓	Might and Magic VII
OpenDiablo2		git	✗	✗	✗	Diablo II
OpenGothic		git	✗	✓	✓	Gothic II
OpenMW		0.50.0	✗	✓	✓	The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
OpenTESArena		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	The Elder Scrolls I: Arena
OpenVIII		git	✗	✗	✗	Final Fantasy VIII
OpenNox		git	✗	~	✓	Nox
pokeemerald		git	✗	✓	?	Pokémon Emerald
Quest 64: Recompiled		git	✗	✓	~	Quest 64
REGoth		git	✗	✗	✓	Gothic, Gothic II
reone		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1-2
Riiablo		git	✗	✓	?	Diablo II
sdlpal		git	✗	✓	~	The Legend of Sword and Fairy (PAL)
Severed Chains		git	✗	✓	✓	Legend of Dragoon
UndertaleDecomp		git	✗	✓	✓	Undertale
Undertale Mobile Mod for iOS and Android		ModDB page	✗	✗	✓
Undertale Yellow Android Port		1.1.1	✗	✗	?	Undertale Yellow
Undertale Yellow Remastered / Undertale Justified (+ mobile port)		0.1.0	✗	✗	?

Sandbox

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
CavEX		0.3.0	✗	✗	✗	Minecraft b1.7.3
ClassiCube		1.3.7	✗	✓	✓	Minecraft 0.30
IsleDecomp		git Portable git Play in browser	✗	✓	✓	LEGO Island
Minecraft PSP		3.4.2	✗	✗	✓	Minecraft
OpenRW		git	✗	~	~	Grand Theft Auto III
PSP Minecraft		3.0.0	✗	✗	✗	Minecraft
re3 reVC		git (re3) git (reVC) re3 (3DS) re3 (Switch) reVC (Switch) ReVC (Vita) re3 (Wii U) reVC (Wii U)	✗	✗	✓	Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
San Andreas Unity		git	✗	✗	~	Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Wiicraft (2020)		git	✗	✗	?	Minecraft v1.2.5
WoxelCraft		git	✗	✗	?	3D Voxel Engine (Minecraft)

Sim

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)	Genre
Akhenaten		git	✗	✓	~	Pharaoh	City-building
CaesarIA		0.5 (2016)	✗	✗	✗	Caesar III
eZeus		git	✗	✓	~	Zeus
FreeSerf		git Forkserf git	✗	✗	✓	The Settlers
Freeserf.net		git	✗	✓	?	The Settlers
JSettlers		git	✗	✓	?	The Settlers 3
Julius Augustus (Gameplay changes)		1.8.0 4.0.0	✗	✓	✓	Caesar III
Ozymandias		git	✗	~	✗	Pharaoh
Return To The Roots		git	✗	✓	✓	The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici
CorsixTH		git	✗	✓	✓	Theme Hospital	Construction/Management
OpenLoco		git	✗	✓	✓	Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
OpenRCT2		git OpenLauncher	✗	✓	✓	RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (with RCT1 and expansions from both games being importable) or RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (as of v0.4.2)
OpenTTD		git	✗	✓	✓	Transport Tycoon Deluxe
OpenTTD (Wii)		1.3.2	✗	✗	?	Transport Tycoon Deluxe
Pizza Legacy		git	✗	✓	?	Pizza Tycoon
RCT Classic Vita		git	✗	?	~	RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (Android)
TiP-Recomp		git	✗	✓	~	Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
terminal-recall		git Nightly Builds	✗	✓	✓	Terminal Velocity, Fury3	Flight Combat
Openblack		git	✗	✓	✗	Black & White	God Game
LainTSX		git	✗	✓	✓	Lain PSX	Interactive fiction
Lain Bootleg Remake		git	✗	✓	✓	Lain Bootleg
ACGC PC Port		git	✗	✓	?	Animal Crossing	Life Sim
FreeSims		git	✗	✓	?	The Sims
FreeSO		git	✗	~	✗	The Sims Online
Simitone		git	✗	~	~	The Sims

TBS

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
1oom		git	✗	✗	✓	Master of Orion
Civ2-clone		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Sid Meier's Civilization 2
civctp2		git ctp2 for Linux/Pandora/Pyra	✗	~	✓	Call to Power II
CivOne		git	✗	✗	✗ (WIP)	Sid Meier's Civilization
DopeWars		1.1	✗	✗	?	DopeWars (Palm OS)
fheroes2		git	✗	✓	✓	Heroes of Might and Magic II
FreeHeroes		git	✗	✓	?	Heroes of Might and Magic III
GLSMAC		git	✗	✓	✓	Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
JA2-Stracciatella		git	✗	✓	✓	Jagged Alliance 2
OpenCiv1		git	✗	✓	?	Sid Meier's Civilization
OpenXcom		git	✗	✓	✓	UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
OpenXcom CE		8.7	✗	✓	✓	UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
OpenXcom CE Brutal		2026-09-06	✗	✓	✓	UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
VCMI		git	✗	✓	✓	Heroes of Might and Magic III

Visual Novel

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
DDLC-LOVE		1.2.3 (PSP, Vita) 1.1.9 (PS3, 3DS, Switch)	✗	✗	✓	Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki-Doki-Literature-Club-Vita		git	✗	~	✓	Doki Doki Literature Club!
Katawa Shoujo Re-Engineered		Build git	✗	✓	✓	Katawa Shoujo

Miscellaneous

Name	Platform(s)	Latest Version	libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)	Genre
Alley Cat Remeow! Edition		archive	✗	✗	✓	Alley Cat	Action
remc2		git HD Fork	✗	~	~	Magic Carpet 2	Action
PyTouhou		Website	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Touhou 6	Bullet Hell
Th06		git	✗	✓	✗ (WIP)	Touhou 6
uth05win		git	✗	✗	✗	Touhou 5
LSD: Revamped		0.3.0	✗	✓	✓	LSD: Dream Emulator	Exploration
3SX		github	✗	✓	?	Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike	Fighting
BattleShip		git	✗	✓	✓	Super Smash Bros.
Ikemen GO		1.0.0 Nightly	✗	✓	✓	Remake of the Ikemen engine that supports Mugen resources.
Party Board		git	✗	✓	~	Mario Party 4	Party
SpaceCadetPinball		git	✗	✓	✓	3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet	Pinball
Jewels		1.01	✗	✗	?	gljewel	Puzzle
Lemmini		git	✗	✗	✓	Lemmings
Dr. Mario 64 Recomp		v1.0.0	✗	✓	~	Dr. Mario 64
OpenTyrian		git Opentyrian2000 fork	✗	✓	✓	Tyrian	Shoot 'em up
OpenTyrianWii		1.7	✗	✗	?	Tyrian
Future Cop: MIT		git	✗	✓	?	Future Cop: LAPD	Third Person Shooter
max vita		git	✗	✓	✓	Max Payne
SVR07-Recomp		git	✗	✓	?	SmackDown vs. Raw 2007	Sports
Butterscotch		git	✗	✓	WIP	GameMaker Studio games compiled as VM	Any
Cinnamon		git	✗	✓	WIP	GameMaker Studio games compiled as VM	Any

Developers tools

Worth mentioning utilities for those who want to create their own port or recreation. Useless for those who just want to play, as they still require a lot of extra work to run games. If the latter fact is suddenly no longer true, such a project will be moved to a more appropriate part of the list.

Name	Game(s)	Latest version	Active	Target platform(s)	Known projects based	Notes
N64: Recompiled	Nintendo 64 (whole library)	git	✓	Theoretically, any	Bomberman 64: Recompiled Dinosaur Planet: Recompiled Goemon 64: Recompiled Mario Kart 64: Recompiled Quest64: Recompiled Zelda 64: Recompiled
PSRetrox	PlayStation 2 (whole library)	git	✗	PC	✗
PSXRecomp	PlayStation (whole library)	git	✓	PC	Tomba: Recompiled Mega Man X6: Recompiled
XenonRecomp XenosRecomp	Xbox 360 (whole library)	git (XenonRecomp) git (XenosRecomp)	✓	Declared, any	Unleashed Recompiled	Currently known supported platforms are: x86 and ARM64 with Direct3D 12 and Vulkan

See also

• List of notable ports

Game engine recreations and source ports specifically for

Current computers and operating system(s):

• macOS, Android

Consoles:

• Nintendo: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Wii, Wii U
• Sony: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita

Legacy systems:

• BeOS, DOS, OS/2, Windows 9x, Pocket PC, IRIX, Atari ST

External links

• Open Source Game Clones (Likely the best and most complete list.)
• Games on GitHub by Lee Reilly (Master list in wider view. This list from leereilly contains Table of Contents and categories with highlighted links to Git repos.)
• Open Source Games on GitHub by Trilarion (Master list. As good as OSGC site above & frighteningly far larger list than leereilly's Git list. Over 1200 game entries!)
• Game engine recreation on Wikipedia (Has links to lists of: 1) commercial video games with source code; 2) source ports; and 3) game engine recreations.)
• List of games with reconstructed source code on Wikipedia
• List of open-source video games on Wikipedia (Not very complete, and the different categories are somewhat confusing.)
• LibreGameWiki (Small learning curve applies for navigating around the wiki. Tends to focus more on indigenous open-source engines.)
• Game category of the Free software directory (Wiki with fairly basic content. Tends to focus more on indigenous open-source engines.)
• Resetera forum thread: Decompilation Projects

Curated Lists:

• Tuncay D.'s recommendations for OS, DRM-free games (thingsiplay.game.blog. Mar 13, 2020. Not for game recreations. Some selections have similarities to old commercial games.)
• Tuncay D.'s recommendations for OS & alike games (thingsiplay.game.blog. May 19, 2020. Focused on game recreations and engines similar to other games.)

Specific gaming systems

• Wii - Category of open source applications game for Wii on WiiBrew including source ports, game recreations, and more

News:

• GamingOnLinux.com (For the latest news on releases and updates of game recreations and source ports that work on Linux)
• Reddit feed (Aggregation quality is a little bit spotty. You have to wade through the news posts a bit for the relevant software.)
• List of Open Source Games on Reddit (Thread by u/AMD_CEO. Wed Jul 1, 2020. Had added recommendations to links also seen above.)

Videos:

• Nerrel: Recompilation - An Incredible New Way to Keep N64 Games Alive
• Digital Foundry: Zelda 64 Recompiled - A Revolution In N64 Native Ports For PC
• James Lambert: How I optimized Portal to run on the Nintendo 64 (Portal64 Project)